Not all home improvement projects are equal. Whether you’re thinking of renting your home out or planning to sell soon, you need to have a plan that’s more strategic than throwing money at random renovations.
Think of your home improvement journey as a smart financial investment. Would you dump cash into a stock without researching its potential? Of course not. The same logic applies to your home.
Every dollar you spend should work hard to boost your property’s value, putting more money back in your pocket.
From this point of view, you don’t necessarily need the most expensive improvement you can find to add luxury. It doesn’t mean you should just stick to a lick of paint either. Going somewhere in the middle will give you the best return on investment.
These being said, let’s take a look at some of the best professional exterior upgrades in Calgary when it comes to added value.
Tackle All Superficial Defects First
Small issues won’t become the main factor in a sale, but all these defects can cause a bad impression when a potential buyer walks up to your property. Basically, it looks like you haven’t looked after the house. Things like peeling paint, dirty walls, dripping outdoor taps or damaged walkways tend to cause this impression.
The list is longer and may also include things on the inside, such as problematic stairs or steps, moldy sealants in bathrooms or kitchens and limescale.
As a general rule of thumb, avoid hiding bigger issues, such as damp. If your house is covered in moss, don’t just paint over it. These issues will usually show up on a survey. In the long run, they’ll become a serious problem and may hinder the sale.
Although it looks like most of these issues are easy to fix with light DIY projects, having a professional renovation team like EA Build sort everything out and will give you better value for money.
Quality inevitably draws money, so yes, you’ll get a better return on investment.
Offroad Parking Is a Plus
Some parts of Calgary can be quite crowded, so parking on the road might be a challenge at times. Even if you live in a quiet area, it’s important to understand that people want convenience. Besides, if your buyers have expensive cars, they’d rather keep them on a driveway than on the road.
From this point of view, the possibility to park just by the front door is a premium. Take a look at your front garden and see if you can sacrifice parts of it to create a driveway.
It’s not a cheap project, but it will help you gain plenty of value when trying to sell your home. Besides, a driveway can come in many forms. You can get it covered in tarmac or perhaps some nice looking gravel or flagstone. Anything works, depending on your budget.
Since building a driveway implies making sure the soil can sustain it too, it’s the type of project that requires a professional contractor. In other words, our professional experts could be the optimal solution for your needs.
It’s not just a matter of working fast, but also about putting quality first. You’ll most likely be presented with a series of options and alternatives, as well as the pros and cons of each of them.
Simply put, clearing out the necessity of parking on the street will certainly increase the value of your property.
Upgrade the Garden
A garden isn’t all about looks. You can easily achieve that yourself. Instead, it’s also about being functional. If you can’t walk here or there or if water takes days to evaporate or filter out, you clearly have a problem.
What you do with your garden has to be minimal in design and massive in functionality. For instance, get a professional contractor to sort the drainage issues. You may have to get it all out and get new soil in. Damp will spread towards the house and cause more problems in the long run.
Plus, if you somehow have viewings during rainy days, no one will like to walk through a swamp. Add a few decorative items, some walkways and, of course, a bit of greenery and you’ll be fine.
Doors and Windows
A deep cleaning procedure will usually work for window frames, but it obviously depends on their state. For example, if you sell the house in the cold season and people spot foggy windows, they know something’s wrong with them. If you have this issue, you may want to replace them.
Pay attention to the front door too because that’s one of the first things potential buyers will notice. Even if your current door works, all the dents and small issues might be a trigger. A door won’t cost you a fortune, even if you’ll need some structural improvements with it.
Go for something solid, whether metallic or made of solid wood. Make sure it matches the overall aspect of your home and you’ll be alright.
How About a Conservatory?
If you feel like gaining as much as possible out of this sale, a conservatory will also make a massive difference. Believe it or not, at least one in five houses selling these days has a conservatory.
This is another big project that will come with a price, but also with an excellent return on investment, so you’ll most likely score big on it. Give yourself a few weeks as well, since it won’t happen overnight. And just like you might’ve guessed already, it should be left to a professional contractor.
Fix the Exterior
Even if your roof looks alright, a quick maintenance operation will pay off. Get it cleaned professionally, replace broken shingles, maybe install new gutters too. The exterior isn’t about the roof only. Having a new porch built or perhaps a new front door will also add to the curb appeal of your property.
Small bits here and there can make the difference.
Bottom line, there are many things you can do to add value to your property prior to a sale. There are small things you can do yourself in terms of how the property looks, but also functional upgrades that you should leave for the professional renovators.
At EA Built, we’re not just contractors – we’re strategic property value engineers. With our decade of specialized experience, we transform homes from ordinary to extraordinary. We’ve completed over 600 successful projects with a comprehensive 10-year warranty, ensuring your investment continues to provide value.
Call us today or email us to schedule a FREE consultation.